Fruit-gatherer.



T. BRANCH.

FRUIT GATHERER.

APPLICATION FILED 151111.27, 1909.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

Patented Feb 8, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T Bm NCH i FRUIT GATHERBR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1909.

Anm C0.. Hamm THOMAS BRANCH, 0F O'iISTJILLE, MICHIGAN.

FRUIT-GATHERER.

Specilicaton of Letters Patent.

Yatented Feb. 8, 1910.

Application filed March 27, 1909. Serial No. 486,247.

To all whom 'it may concern:

e it known that l. Tno'nas lesson. a citizen ot' the llnited States of America, residing at Otisville. in the county ot Genesee and State ot B'lichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit- Gather-ers, ot' which the following is a specilicatio-n, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

rlhe invention relates particularly to a device 'for gathering apples, pears and similar truit. and consists in its novel construction whereby the fruit may be collected without injury by bruising; turther, in the peculiar arrangement and combination of the various parts ot the device: and, still further. in certain details oit construction as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

ln the drawings, Figure l is a sectional perspective view ot' the fruit gatherer in readiness for use: Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal section therethrough; Fig. 3 is a rear ele ation; Fig. l is a bottom plan view: Figs. 5 and (S are detail sectional views. illustrating parts ot the device, and Fig. T is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner ot' securing' the pointed supports to the tramef ln construction. the truit gatherer comprises a supporting traine made up ot` spaced parallel angle bars B, cross bars C secured to the under sui-tace of the side bars. a rear end bar D, and a t'orward cross bar E connecting the upper portions of the side sills. ln proximity to the t'orward end the traine described is provided with a pair ot' carrier wheels l". and in advance ot these wheels a pair ot pointed supports each pivoted at f/ to its respt-ctive side bar and having an adjustable connection permitting` the member to be raised or lowered according as it is desired to move the :trame alone' the ground on the carrier wheels. or to hold it. in an inclined elevated position to receive the truit. The preferable adjustable connection is as shown in Figs, t5 and T. comprising a headed screw-bolt L arranged within the slot ff toi-med within the side bar for that purpose. and a winged nut f/ that engages the threaded end ot the bolt projecting through an aperture in the support t?.

Ait the rear end ot the traine is a swinging support lil adapted when in the position shown in Fig. 2 to hold the t' 1ame in the desired inclined position. Means are provided for holding the support m an inoperative position, consisting of a cord c connected at one end to the lower portion of the support, extending over a sheave f, and connected at its other end to an eye f/ upon the bar D. Secured upon this tramework is a body otl jfielding material l,-pret'erably canvas,- connected at the forward end to the cross bar E and at its rear end to the rear bar D, and tacked along its marginal edges to the inturned port-ions /z ot the side sills, as indicated in Fig. l, the canvas being stretched troni side to side of the framework so as to be at a sutticient distance above the cross bars C to prevent the fruit in dropping upon the body trom striking the bars. At the forward end of the body described are discharge spouts J, formed preferably ot canvas and preferably two in number. as indicated in Fig. 4l.

Arranged interiorly ot the body in transverse alinement is a longitudinal series of aprons K, each being formed of yielding material as canvas and secured at the upper portion ot' their ends to suitable pins z' upon the side sills. These aprons, as shown, are made ot such width as to permit their lower edges to rest upon the canvas body and each to extend preferably beneath the next adjoining apron, as indicated in Fig. l; also, the connection between the apron and the side sills is' yielding, an elastic cord or tape as j being preferably employed so that when the 't'ruit strikes the apron the latter will yield slightly, thereby breaking the fall.

For the purpose of holding the several transverse aprons described in their proper relative positions, a central longitudinal elastic band L is employed extending intermediate the bars l) and E ofthe framework, and beneath the transverse aprons as shown in Fig. 2.

For the purpose ot protecting the fruit when falling from striking the side edges ot the supporting frame, inclined side aprons as M are employed which are adapted to cover the sills. These aprons are made ot material similar to the body, are supported at their upper edges upon uprights N upon the side bars mounted in suitable supporting blocks O, and are of a width to extend inwardly a sufficient distance so that their lower edges will rest upon the. transverse aprons K. An apron P similar to the aprons just described and iounted upon similar supports is provided for the rear end of the framework.

The i able baskets or crates. The several aprons described, in addition to breaking the fall of the fruit and protecting the same from striking the rigid frame, serve to almost immediately cover the fruit and lthus protect by a multiple of layers of material that which has fallen upon the gatherer from being struck by fruit subsecpiently dropping.

lV hen it is desired to shift the apparatus, the rear support Il folded up into parallelism with the body and held in that position by winding the cable about the eye g.

The forward supports G are adjusted into their upper position, thereby permitting` the device in its entirety to rest upon the carrier wheels F. The gatherer may then be moved into any new position desired.

That I claim as my invention is,-

l. In a fruit gatherer, the combination with a body of yielding material, of a plurality of flexible aprons arranged transversely of the body and at an acute angle thereto, the lower edge of each apron being free from the body.

Q. In a fruit gatherer, the combination with a body, of means for supporting the body in inclined position, a discharge spout leading from the lower end of the body, and a series of transversely-alined flexible aprons arranged upon the body at an acute angle thereto.

3. In a fruit gatherer, the combination with a body formed of yielding material and adapted to be supported in inclined position, of a series of transVersely-alined flexible aprons arranged over the body at an acute angle thereto, the lower edges of the aprons being free from the body and extending each beneath an adjoining apron.

4. In a fruit gatherer, the combination t with a framework, of a body of yielding material supported thereon, a series of transversely-alined yielding aprons arranged over the body at an angle thereto with the lower edge of each apron free from the body, means for supporting the frame in an inclined position, and a discharge spout leading from the body at the lower end thereof.

In a fruit gatherer, the combination with a body of yielding material adapted to be supported in an inclined position, of a series of flexible aprons extending over the body in angular relation thereto, and a yielding support for the aprons of the series.

(3. In a fruit gatherer, the combination with a framework, of a swinging support at. the rear end thereof, a pair of carrier wheels at the opposite end, a pair of pivoted supports at the forward end of the frame in advance of the carrier wheels and adjustably connected to the frame work, a yielding body upon the frame, and one or more discharge spouts leading from the lower end of the body.

7. In a fruit gatherer, the combination with a framework, of means for supporting the same in an inclined position, a body of yielding material upon the framework, a series of transversely-alined flexible aprons extendiiig over the body in angular relation thereto, and an inclined flexible apron covering the marginal port-ions of the framework and forming in connection with the body a trough-shaped receptacle.

8. In a fruit gatherer, the combination with a framework having a bottom of yielding material, a plurality of flexible aprons arranged transversely of the body and at an acute angle thereto the lower edge of each apron being free from the body, and an inclined flexible apron covering the marginal portions of the framework.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THGMAS B RANCH.

lVitnesses W. J. BELKNAP, JAMES P. Bonny. 

